¹Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; ²and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. ⁸When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  

⁹They sing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; ¹⁰you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.” ¹¹Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹²singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” ¹³Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” ¹⁴And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.  

Revelation 5 is the second part in a two part picture of praise depicted in Revelation 4-5.  The earlier chapter was filled with praise for God the Creator.  This chapter is filled with praise for God the Redeemer.  Let us pray.

 It was October 12, 312 A.D.  Constantine and his forces were outnumbered, according to some sources, 20,000 soldiers to 100,000.  He was unsure of what to do.  The sensible thing to do was to surrender.  However, Maxentius had sought to overthrow Constantine’s rule for some time.  Surrender would not fare well for the defeated.  According to Eusebius, a fourth century bishop and historian, there was a sign in the air, a lighted cross appeared over the sun with some Greek words inscribed above it: “en touto nika” which translated into English is “In this sign conquer” or “By this sign conquer”.  There is some debate over whether the sign was a cross, a chi-rho (the first two letters of Christ in Greek), or an iota eta sigma (the first three letters of Jesus in Greek).  However, all the possibilities point toward one figure – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified on the cross.  Constantine did conquer and ended the Diocletian Tetrarchy and its persecution of the church.  He became the emperor of the entire Roman Empire and promoted religious tolerance throughout and even provided special privileges to Christians.

This morning we turn our attention to the second of the Trinity Windows – God the Son Window.  It is filled with signs that point toward one figure – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified on the cross.  I am confident that this Christ still conquers, but I believe it to be more on a spiritual plane than a political one.  So as we turn our attention to this beautiful window on the west side of the trio of windows in the balcony placed in memory of Edward A. Flinn, Class of 1893, let us heed the ancient inscription: By this sign conquer.
 

On the Cross Christ conquered Sin with Redemption

The very first sign or symbol that we notice in the God the Son Window is the cross, a despised image for centuries as a source of cruel capital punishment.  Deuteronomy 21:23 states that anyone who hangs on a tree is cursed.  Paul declared in Galatians 3:13 that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the unfulfilled Law by becoming a curse for us, and then he quoted the passage in Deuteronomy.  The cross has become the central sign for Christ.  It is in nearly every church, many Christians have some jewelry with it, and many homes and offices have crosses displayed on walls.  Redemption is found on the cross – where the Lamb of God was slain. 

The chapter started off with suspense and drama.  A scroll that is tighly sealed appeared in the hand of the Almighty.  It is written on both sides letting us know that there is a lot on it.  Because scrolls were made of papyrus, one side was easier to write on than the other.  One side went with the grain of criss crossed leaves, while the other side went across the grain.  The scroll is referred to by many commentators as the scroll of destiny.  That is, in this scroll is God’s full and final plan for humanity.  John’s pulse must have quickened as he realized that in that scroll lay the future of the world.  As soon as it was opened the final and decisive action of God would unfold.  However, the scroll could not be opened because no one was found worthy to open it, in spite of a universal appeal given by a mighty angel with a loud voice.

Dan Brown has another book out about mysteries and what people will do to acquire them.  Mal'akh is the bad guy in the book, The Lost Symbol.  He is a misguided Mason who acquires degrees so that he can move into an inner circle and beyond, discovering the Lost Symbol and achieving immortality.  I would dare say that in this book even the hero is misguided.  Peter Solomon proclaims the limitless potential in every human not only to be subjects of God, but to be God himself.  Revelation 5 is clear that no one was worthy – no angel, no saint, no prophet.  And John wept noisily.  It wasn’t one of the tears silently streaming down his face kind of weeping, it was loud and bitter wailing.

This week we heard that kind of wailing coming from Haiti in the wake of a terrible earthquake in the most populated city of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.  This is what John saw.  Pain and suffering that would finally be over once that scroll was opened, but would continue as long as the scroll remained sealed. 

The heavenly scene is important to capture here.  There is a throne with God the Father Almighty seated on it.  Around the throne are four living creatures representing all of creation and around them are twenty-four elders, who very well may be representatives of the twelve Old Testament Patriarchs and the twelve New Testament Apostles.  One of the Elders speaks to John and gives him hope.  There is one who is worthy – a Lion, the Root (the Spirit and Source) of David, the Conqueror. By this sign conquer.  He looked and saw a Lamb that had been mortally wounded.  Every reader knew that this was Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was crucified on the cross – to redeem us.  Not only could Dan Brown’s characters not achieve immortality on their own merits, neither can we.  We need a redeemer who according to Revelation 5:9, “ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation.”  When he took the scroll a new song erupted in the heavenly scene.  This was a fresh song, a different song, an impressive song, a song sung to the Redeemer.   By this sign conquer.  On the cross Christ conquers sin with redemption.
 

As the Lamb Christ conquered Pride with Humility

John turned to see this Lion of whom the elder spoke and saw a Lamb, a fatally wounded Lamb, a Lamb who had been killed, and yet, was now alive. He now bore seven horns, a symbol for perfect power, and seven eyes a symbol for perfect wisdom, but he was still a Lamb, a humble Lamb, which is how he was identified so often in the scriptures – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Leon Morris quoted in his commentary on Revelation, “When earth-bound men want symbols of power they conjure up mighty beasts and birds of prey.  Russia elevates the bear, Britain the lion, France the tiger, the United States the eagle – all of them ravenous.  It is only the Kingdom of Heaven that would dare to use as its symbol of might, not the Lion for which John was looking but the helpless Lamb, and at that, a slain Lamb.”

Paul told the Philippians to have in them the same mind that was in Christ who humbled himself.  Christ showed the universe that the way to true nike, victory, was humility and service.

Two stories in the news caught my attention this week.  One hit early about a squabble between the countries of Turkey and Israel.  Apparently the Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Israel to a meeting to complain about the portrayal of Israel on Turkish television.  The meeting was caught on film and the Turkish ambassador was seated in a chair lower than that of his host.  In addition to that, the usual handshakes were not extended, at least not on film.  Now I have been a guest in Turkey and Israel.  I deeply love both of these countries.  I do not see anything unique about this situation where pride was wounded. However, it set up such a strained situation that Israel was given until midnight on Wednesday to apologize.  One report that I read stated that any response would be insufficient, because of another headline that is dominating the world media – the death of thousands in Haiti.  The article actually said that the apology would not get enough press even if it was proper.  Never underestimate the power of pride in our lives.  It is fairly easy to see in others, but awfully difficult to recognize in ourselves.  Look at the symbol of the Kingdom of God, a wounded Lamb, holding the scroll of destiny.  By this sign conquer.  As the Lamb Christ conquered pride with humility.
 

In the Bread Christ conquered estrangement with presence

The third main symbol found in the window is the sheaf of wheat, symbolizing the bread of life.  Jesus identified himself as the Bread of Life in John 6.  After a busy day on one side of the Sea of Galilee, where he fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish he went to the other side, in secret.  However, the crowds found him and he asked them if they were wanting him or just more bread.  Then he talked about bread from heaven that gives life to the world.  They wanted this kind of wonder bread.  Then he said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.”  We see that bread in this window.  There is also the reference to communion as we look at how these three windows are connected with this theme – the wheat in the west window, the grapes in the east window and the cup in the central window.  Later, Jesus was seated around the Passover Table with his disciples.  He told them that the bread, which is so central to the Passover story, is his body.  Paul spoke of Christ in you the hope of glory.  Is it possible that as we partake this bread of life we become Christ’s presence to others?  In the scene of Revelation the very presence of Christ created a symphony of praise.  The four creatures and twenty-four elders sing a new song to the Redeemer.  Countless angels surround them and join in praise.  Then every creature sings to the Creator and the Redeemer, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”  Robert Mounce wrote in his commentary, “Adoration of the entire created world is offered…no living creature fails to join in this great and final hymn of praise.”

 By this sign conquer.  The very presence of Christ evokes such grand praise, how can we be unmoved when his presence is with us, restoring us from a state of estrangement?  As we minister to those in need and take Christ in us to them, they too may respond with praise to the Creator and Redeemer.  That is why the church cannot be unmoved by human suffering.  We must respond to the needs of the people in Haiti in the name of Jesus Christ whose very presence conquers estrangement.  Vickey Tesh has provided fliers in the Welcome Center and uploaded the information to our website of ways we can respond.

One last point before we leave this beautiful scene in Revelation.  Did you notice the bowls that the elders held, in verse 8, were the prayers of the saints? One commentator postulated that these prayers were the line from Jesus himself that we often repeat, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  The world’s destiny is not some blind fate.  We are in the hands of a loving Father and a Savior who died for us.  By this sign conquer.  Let us live out lives as reflections of the life to come and the life of the Son.  By this sign conquer. 

·         On the cross Christ conquered sin with redemption.

·         As the Lamb Christ conquered pride with humility.

·         In the bread Christ conquered estrangement with his presence.

By this sign conquer. Amen.